The Scientist
by WrappedInARiddle
Summary: Life, it's just a series of events, everyone has their own unique story. Each moment has the possibility of having a profound impact on how your life turns out. What if you missed the significance of one single event the first time around and it altered your entire existence? If given the opportunity, could you ever truly go back to the start? Lucas POV 2-Shot... Will be a 3-Shot.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary:** Life, it's simple really, just a series of hours... Millions of minutes and seconds… Everyone has their own unique story. Each moment has the possibility of having a profound impact on how your _life_ turns out. What if you missed the significance of one single event the first time around and it altered your entire existence? If given the opportunity… Could you ever truly go back to the start? Lucas POV

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own anything OTH related if I did the show would have gone a different direction… And since I'll be referencing the song throughout, I don't own the lyrics to _The_ _Scientist_ … That honor belongs to Coldplay. I do however own the story idea so happy reading.

 **The Scientist**

* * *

"Good luck packing." Peyton calls to me as she heads for the door, "I would help you but" she rubs her heavily swollen abdomen. "I was told to take it easy, this pregnancy thing is a real breeze, can you believe in less than six weeks we're going to be parents?"

"No, I can't." I feel my face squint and a smirk form across my lips, "now get going, Haley is expecting you… She hates it when you're late." She nods before giving me a quick kiss, I close the door behind her with a sigh.

After a few minutes, I unfold a couple of cardboard boxes and place them on my bed… My _childhood_ bed in my _childhood_ bedroom. I turn to the closet and start absentmindedly placing random items into a box. I should probably go through all of this stuff at some point, but what's the purpose of doing it right now? It's all just going in the garage, so there will be room for some of Peyton's belongings when she officially moves in after the wedding, mainly her extensive record collection. I wanted to use this room for Sawyer's nursery, but Peyton said it was too far away from the master bedroom and having the door to the outside made her nervous. I wanted to tell her we weren't the Lindbergh's, no one is going to kidnap our baby, but getting her to see reason right now is futile. I pile old trophies, school awards and the first _book_ I ever wrote into another box. It was a ten page book I wrote in the third grade for a school assignment, my mom had found it amongst Keith's most prized possessions after he was shot in cold blood by his own brother. I do what I can to shake off the horrible memory and move on to something else.

A half an hour later I stack several boxes up and head for the garage. I place all of the boxes on some open shelving Keith built for my mother at least two decades ago. I move several dust covered bins and suck in a dry breath at the grime covered box towards the back, it's labeled _BPD & LES_. I had almost forgotten I even put it out here, I reach for it and instinctively, hesitation washes over me and I pull my hand back. I haven't looked through it in years, examining the contents now will only make me wonder of the other life I could have lived with _Veronica_ instead of _Betty_. I shrug, "so today I feel like being an emotional cutter, I was already reminiscing about Keith, why not throw my pretty girl in for good measure?" I say aloud as I take the shabby box off the shelf.

I walk over to Keith's old work bench, covered in butcher block from the cafe's kitchen and pull the misshapen lid from the warped box. I smile when the first thing I pull out is Brooke's red lace bra, she was wearing this the first night we officially met…

" _Ummm I think you have the wrong car," I gawk at the naked girl making herself comfortable in my back seat._

 _She smirks, "No I'm in the right place, I just had to get out of this uniform." She clasps a red lace bra over her exposed breasts, "So I'm Brooke Davis. But you probably knew that already. Your last shot was awesome," Brooke leans in close and puts her arms around my neck, "it felt good didn't it?"_

Wow that was bizarre, I open my eyes and I could practically smell the lilac scented perfume Brooke wore in high school. I pull out a few more items and I can't help but continue to smile as I wander further down the rabbit hole of _what if_. I rifle through concert ticket stubs, mix tapes a Travis CD and tons of pictures. "It was so much easier with Brooke when she wasn't trying to be someone she wasn't," I say in an audible tone. I let my fingers merely graze the 82 letters, there is no way my heart could bare looking at them today, so I move on. I next pull out a copy of Albert Camus's book _The Stranger._ I feel my brow furrow, how did this get in here? I turn to the first eared page and what I read knocks the wind out of me… _People that are meant to be together always find their way in the end… I love you Lucas Scott… I always will._ It's Brooke's swirly cursive writing, I would recognize it anywhere. When did she write this? Why hadn't I ever seen it before now? Would it have made a difference?

* * *

 ** _Come up to meet you, tell you I'm sorry_**

 ** _You don't know how lovely you are_**

 ** _I had to find you_**

 ** _Tell you I need you_**

 ** _Tell you I set you apart_**

 ** _Tell me your secrets_**

 ** _And ask me your questions_**

 ** _Oh, let's go back to the start_**

I am not exactly sure what I am doing here, I tell myself as I stare at the bright red door urging me to knock on it. Peyton and I are having a baby, we are getting married on Saturday, yet here I am at _this_ house, fixated on _this_ door. I knew looking in that box was a bad idea, I shake my head in disbelief, _Pandora's Box_ doesn't have anything on the magnet like force that is Brooke Penelope Davis. I do my best to shake off the uneasiness that is beginning to settle in my gut. I turn to go back the way I came when I see the porch light come on and I know I'm caught. I tell my legs to run, but knowing my luck the house's inhabitant has already seen me and running would simply confuse her and make her angry.

The front door opens, "Luke? What are you doing here? I think Peyton is with Haley." She wraps her arms around her small frame, "It's freezing out here, do you want to come inside?"

No! My head screams, but instead I nod. I really look at her for a second, she is smiling a dimpled smile and her hazel orbs are twinkling like they have since the first time we looked eyes in tenth grade English Literature. Her deep brunette tresses are secured at the nap of her neck in a messy bun. She is wearing a pair of eggplant skinny jeans and a black tank top, she looks just as effortless as ever. I follow her inside, "Is Julian still in Los Angeles?"

She closes the door behind us, "Yes. He's scouting a location for his next movie. Sorry about _Ravens_ by the way, I know you were looking forward to making your book into a movie."

"It's alright," I fidget, "it was for the best. I think it was all too soon, but that isn't why I came by. I wanted to ask you about something."

"Lucas Scott the eternal optimist." She came back from the kitchen with two bottles of water. "I wish I had some of whatever _kool-aid_ you have been drinking these days. Julian and I decided to put our relationship on hold until we know where his next movie is going to be filmed." She shrugs and sits down on the couch beside me. "So what's up? Is everything alright?"

I have to be pretend to be saddened by her revelation, but I'm not. Brooke deserves someone better than Julian Baker. He would never be content living a quiet life in Tree Hill, he's a big city type, there's nothing with that I suppose but it wasn't for Brooke. "I was packing up my old room and putting things in the garage and I found a few interesting things. I found a book with an inscription I have never seen before and I wanted to ask you about it and I found something that belonged to you." I wasn't entirely certain how to proceed but I can see that I have peeked her interest as she nods curiously, "and I thought you might like it back for sentimental value." I hand her the delicate red bra I had wrapped in a handkerchief.

Her cheeks reddened at the sight of her red lace bra, "Naked in the backseat? That's so high school…" she pauses and shakes her head. "I have nothing else to add it's just _SO_ high school."

"I thought it would make you laugh, I didn't think you would get embarrassed. I'm sorry Brooke." I squint and rub my temples, I never intended to upset her, I honestly thought she would giggle and we would laugh about the _old days_ for a few hours.

"Yes because being reminded of my slutty years as a cheerleader is just wonderful." She says with snark. "You said something about a book." She changes the subject, crosses her legs and turns back towards me.

I hand her the worn copy of _The Stranger_ , "When did you write this?"

She bites her bottom lip, "I… ummmm." She lets out a deep sigh, "It was right after Peyton told me she still loved you I believe. You are a creature of habit Luke, I knew you would put _me_ in a box." She blinks rapidly to avoid crying, I can see the pain creep across her face, "that book was something we shared I figured if you ever looked through the Brooke box you would see I still loved you and just maybe we could start over again."

"And what if I wanted to start over now?" I gulp.

She kinks her eyebrows at me, "Wait you're joking right? Peyton is pregnant with your child, you're getting married in four days. That ship has sailed Luke, we missed our chance."

* * *

 _ **Running in circles**_

 _ **Coming up tails**_

 _ **Heads on a science apart**_

 _ **Nobody said it was easy**_

 _ **It's such a shame for us to part**_

 _ **Nobody said it was easy**_

 _ **No one ever said it would be this hard**_

 _ **Oh, take me back to the start**_

"You have reached Brooke Davis, leave me a message and I'll get back to you as soon as possible." I sigh as I hang up the phone, she's avoiding me, I can feel it in my bones. She does have a point though I am clearly having some type of a breakdown, maybe this was just cold feet? I head to Clothes over Bros, she can't ignore me forever.

I open the door and head inside with the chime, "Brooke I know you're here I saw your car parked out front."

She comes sauntering in from the back, "l don't have anything to say to you Lucas. That's why I haven't returned any of your _seven_ messages."

"I deserve that I do, but you can't blame me for thinking about it from time to time. You were the great love of my life Brooke, you don't ever really forget your _first_." I run my hands through my hair, "I'm sorry I upset you the other night."

She folds her arms across her chest and drums her nails against her exposed skin. "Well Lucas you weren't my first… hell you weren't even my first _Scott_ brother."

"I deserved that," I continue, doing everything I can not to think about the sex tape she made with Nathan a lifetime ago. "But can you honestly tell me you don't think about me ever?"

"No, I can't." She laughs, "I think about what could have been whenever I'm feeling terribly sad or lonely. We would live in Tree Hill obviously in your mother's house like you always dreamed, even though I am partial to houses of a greater size, it's home and that would have been enough for me. We would keep a loft in Manhattan for Clothes over Bros board meetings and visits with your editors because you know how I feel about extended hotel stays." I laugh before she speaks again, "I always envisioned having three children; Henry, Davis and Violet. The boys would look like you and our daughter would look just like me. We would live for each other, grow old together, enjoy our family and die peacefully in our sleep." Her face falls, "but that isn't the life fate had in store for us… Maybe you'll be my great lasting love in the next life, in this one you belong to my best friend." Her last few words are almost a whisper, she wipes her face and turns to the back room, "I have a conference call with Bloomingdale's in fifteen minutes, are we done now?"

I am not sure why I thought she would react differently to me having a life crisis but now I feel like a complete asshole. "I'm sorry Brooke, I'll see you Friday night at the rehearsal dinner." I hurry out the door before she has a chance to say anything else.

A quick twenty minute walk later and I am home, I head right to the garage. I open the box and pull out a random memory, when I open my eyes I see a copy of a photograph from Nathan and Haley's wedding. Brooke looked breathtaking that day in her beautiful red satin dress. The day certainly didn't go the way I had envisioned…

" _Why does it feel like you are always just waiting to push me away?" I say in a hushed tone to avoid drawing attention to yet another fight Brooke and I were having._

 _She scoffs, "unbelievable. You kiss Peyton again, you hide it from me again and I'm pushing you away?"_

" _I love you Brooke," I huff, "how else can I say it so that you'll believe me?"_

 _Brooke's eyes welled up with tears, "I'm not pushing you away Lucas, I have been holding on for dear life. But it's pointless because what I need is for you to need me back. You should have told me about the kiss and you didn't call once when you were gone and you haven't ever let me all the way in." She pounds her balled fists into my chest and sucked in a deep breath, "I need to go, it's time for my toast and I have to remind myself that it's supposed to be about love."_

The sad part was that I loved her then, I loved her with everything I had… I just never felt like it was enough to make her happy.

* * *

 ** _I was just guessing_**

 ** _At numbers and figures_**

 ** _Pulling the puzzles apart_**

 ** _Questions of science_**

 ** _Science and progress_**

 ** _Do not speak as loud as my heart_**

I pull out a tattered copy of Shakespeare's _Book of Sonnets_ and turn to Sonnet 116 and read the highlighted passage; _Love_ _is not love which alters when it alteration finds. It is an ever-fixed mark that looks on tempests and is never shaken. Love alters not with time's brief hours and weeks, but bears it out, even to the edge of doom._

I feel my heart pounding out of my chest, "Jesus Christ." My palms are sweating and I feel like I might faint. Brooke is the one, this isn't cold feet, how have I not seen it until now. It doesn't really matter now does it? Peyton and I are having a baby, we are getting married in less than 72 hours and Brooke would never consent to being mine again. Unless Brooke feels the same way about me, I must find out if she loves me enough to potentially destroy Peyton's life.

I head back into the house and find Peyton in the nursery holding a stuffed purple monkey… _Angie's_ stuffed purple monkey.

"Did you just get home?" She smiles, "I'm thinking about jungle themed crib bedding. I want to design the entire nursery around this monkey. It's terribly precious, was it yours when you were a boy? Or was it Lily's." She looks at the monkey, "I hope it was Lily's it looks far too girly to have been yours."

" _You got my message," she cries into my chest._

 _I pull her in tighter, "I got your message."_

" _I told you I was fine, you didn't need to come," she sobs louder._

 _I run my hands through her hair, "I know."_

" _She's gone Lucas," she stutters._

" _I know Brooke, I'm so sorry I know."_

"You honestly don't know where that monkey came from?" I say, pulling myself from the memory so painful it feels like it happened just yesterday. "It was Angie's monkey."

"Oh," Peyton winced, "I must have forgotten. How did you get it then?"

"Brooke gave it to me after Angie was sent home to her family." I lean against the dresser, I cannot stop the next words from forming on my lips, "I was thinking… maybe we should hold off on the wedding until after the baby comes."

She stops rocking in the chair, "what's wrong?"

"Nothing I just feel like all of this is happening so fast, I don't want to make any mistakes." I stammer, "we haven't been back together very long Peyton. I just want to make sure this is truly what we both want."

"I have wanted this since I was fifteen years old." Peyton shrieks, "what changed for you?"

I scratch my head, "Why didn't you ever tell me that Brooke broke up with me because you told her you were in love with me?"

"What difference does that make now?" Peyton pants, "she walked away to let us be together."

"Brooke Davis… she's always saving us and putting everyone else's needs ahead of her own." I smirk, shaking my head, "I'm going out for a while. We can talk more about how we plan to effectively _co-parent_ Sawyer when I get back."

"What about the wedding?" Peyton stands up, "did we just break up?" She reaches for my wrist, "But I am the _Comet,_ you said it yourself. We can't really be over because I never told you something trivial when we first got together?"

"It wasn't trivial Peyton, it was an important detail that alluded me until this very moment." I sigh, I never intended to do this now, I wanted to wait until after Sawyer was born, "You were the comet Peyton... and I will always love you. But I am in love with someone else and it took me five years to figure it out." I hug her and kiss her forehead, what does it mean that she isn't crying right now I wonder? "Goodbye Peyton."

* * *

 ** _Tell me you love me_**

 ** _Come back and haunt me_**

 ** _Oh, and I rush to the start_**

 ** _Running in circles_**

 ** _Chasing our tails_**

 ** _Coming back as we are_**

I pull the jeep into Brooke's driveway just as I see Brooke coming out of her front door and I know its now or never, "Brooke do you have a minute?"

"I can't do this right now Luke, I'm off to see Peyton. She called and sounded upset, she said you called off the wedding and broke up with her what has gotten into you huh?" She glares at me as she heads to her car. "Move the jeep Luke or I'm going to back into the damn thing."

I understood the hostility, to the outside eye I did appear to be having some sort of a breakdown, but I wasn't, this was clarity. "Can I ask you something before you tar and feather me?"

"What?" She says in an exasperated tone. "Make it quick."

I clear my throat, "If I told you we could have forever would you want to try with me?"

She stops instantly and drops her keys, "what on earth are you talking about broody?"

I grin at the use of my old pet name, "what if I told you I wanted to start over before it was too late? I ended things with Peyton because the foundation of our relationship was built on a lie. You _lied_ to me when we broke up pretty girl and for years I've been searching for the answer. You ended our relationship to save Peyton. She's your best friend and you wanted her to be happy, but when do _you_ get to be happy Brooke? When have you ever put yourself first?"

"You and Peyton have this amazing connection, you are practically the same person… how was I supposed to ever compete with that?" Brooke huffed, "I never expected you to end up together. I guess I thought you would be together for a little while and it would fizzle out organically. Then after you and Lindsey broke up you went back to Peyton." She bends over to pick up her keys, "so you made your choice Lucas and I lost. Now I'm not going to ask you again Lucas, move the bloody jeep."

* * *

 ** _Nobody said it was easy_**

 ** _Oh, it's such a shame for us to part_**

 ** _Nobody said it was easy_**

 ** _No one ever said it would be so hard_**

 ** _I'm going back to the start_**

The next six months have passed by in a hurry and honestly it's all been a blur, before there was time to let the dust settle over the wedding cancellation Sawyer Penelope Scott was born. She was perfect in every way and Peyton was a real trooper throughout her entire labor, we have even found a happy medium as far as co-parenting goes. When Sawyer is older we will have to figure out more permanent logistics, but for now we are both putting her needs before our own. Peyton finally forgave me for humiliating her and actually gave me her blessing to pursue a relationship with Brooke... Now I just needed to get Brooke on board with trying again. I swore to Peyton that we would never revisit the _triangle_ again, it was something we needed to keep buried in the garage along with old yearbooks and mementos. So far Brooke has been avoiding me like the plague, but I know if I get her to agree to one date she will come around. So far though I was having no luck, I did have one final trick up my sleeve… lets hope she smiles and doesn't stab me…

I watch Brooke lock up Clothes over Bros and hurry quickly to the drivers side door. I squat down low so she can't see me and hold my breath. She puts the key in the ignition and I pop up behind her in the back seat.

"Lucas!" She hits me, "what are you doing in my car. I have pepper spray, I could have seriously blinded you. You don't hide in the back of a woman's car are you insane?!" She looks at me and stops yelling, "wait a minute why are you naked?"

"I know you think we have too much history to move forward so I thought I would try going backwards instead. Back… back… back all the way to the beginning of Brooke and Lucas." I put my hand on the passenger seat and give her a megawatt grin.

Brooke is trying her best to keep a straight face but she can't any longer and starts to laugh. "So this is some sort of a reenactment then?"

"Yes," I place my hands on her shoulders and apologize. "Hi... I'm Lucas Scott by the way." I pull my pants up over my boxer shorts and extend my hand to her, "but I'm certain you already knew that."

She nods, "nice to meet you Lucas, I'm Brooke Davis."

I push my shirt over my head and hop into the front seat, "so Brooke would you like to have dinner with me sometime?"

"I would love to." Brooke gives me a dimpled smile. "Here's to going back to the beginning."

"Thank you for letting me take you back to the start," I take her hand in mine and kiss it gently. Who knows if Brooke Davis is my forever, I will say one thing though… it's going to be a beautiful adventure while it lasts...

 ***~* The End *~***

* * *

So my loves I hope you enjoyed this little brucas one shot. I thought about turning it into a full length story but I think I will wait and see what the reviews look like and what you all would like to see... Until then I am finishing the edits for _Thinking of You_ and the final two chapters should be posted by Friday. I am also working on a joint venture with my girl April called _We Built This City_ posted under her user name simplyaprillynn. I am working on new chapters for my other outstanding non-brucas stories for anyone else interested in those. :)

So show me the love... You know what to do... Hit the button... And review, review, review!

Thanks again for reading!

Krystal


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2:**

 _I sat up with a start to silence my cell phone before it woke the pretty girl on my left, I catch a glimpse of the time and roll my eyes, "It's early Peyt, what's the matter? Is Sawyer alright?"_

" _Nothing is wrong, our baby is one today and I can't believe it." I hear her sniffle through the receiver, "How is that possible Luke? It feels like only yesterday we were bringing her home from the hospital." She barely chokes out the words before the floodgates open and I hear her begin to sob._

 _I look over at my motionless girlfriend before I get out of bed and creep out to finish my call in the den, "Peyton, it's only her first birthday, there will be plenty of memories to make after today, I promise you. Now get some sleep, we will see you this afternoon."_

"Daddy?" I jump at the sound of Phoebe's tiny voice, "Daddy?"

I smile and say, "Yes pretty girl."

"I have been calling your name forever," Phoebe giggles before standing up from the cluttered heap of paper surrounding her on the floor. "Were you sleeping with your eyes open again?"

I chuckle at the sight of her, she has rainbow glitter flecks streaking her cheeks and nose like freckles from the sun, "What are you making?"

"A birthday card for Yaya." She answers with confidence, I cannot get over how grown up she sounds. Phoebe Elizabeth Scott is far too precocious for her own good, I have to remind myself often that she is only six years old. Her long curly chestnut tresses are pulled into a side ponytail done in a fishtail braid with the barrettes I watched her mother put in her hair before school this morning. "Auntie Peyton said Yaya and I are having a slumber party this weekend, is that true?"

I motion for her to come closer and I wipe some of the glitter away from her eyes, "Sawyer's birthday party is on Saturday and she wants you to stay the night." I reach for my cell phone, "But if you would rather come home with me after I will let Peyton and Yaya know."

"No!" She squeals. "I want to go to Yaya's!" She hopped up and down and began to pout at my un-phased grin. It makes me happy that my girls are close, Phoebe even has her own cute nickname for her older sister - Yaya. It all started when she was learning to talk, Sawyer was a difficult name for a two year old to say, so Phoebe started calling her Yaya and obviously it stuck.

She starts tickling me and I release my phone from my hand and it falls to the floor, "Alright, alright. I guess you can go, let me see the card you're working on."

She skips over to the paper pile and hurries back with a bright piece of pink paper. She hands me the card and began to explain the intricate design of glitter and stickers, "Yaya likes unicorns and rainbows. Mommy said her party is going to be a unicorn party so I colored her a unicorn and the second unicorn is me, I am smaller than Yaya so my unicorn is smaller too." I love it when she rambles, it's times like these I cherish most, "I added the glitter colors and right there," She pointed to the words she had written in her precious handwriting, "see right there that says _Happy Birthday Yaya! Love Phoebe_. Do you think she'll like it Daddy?"

"Of course pretty girl, Sawyer is going to love it."

* * *

I stand up and bring the dishes to sink, "Daddy I have a question?" Phoebe speaks from her place at the table, her mother has already retreated to the spare bedroom to finish something for her latest client.

"What is it pretty girl?" I beam at her from the sink, "Your daddy is an open book." I laugh to myself over my last statement, explaining that I write novels for a living is a story for another day.

"Is Yaya really my sister?" She wrinkles up her nose and looks down at her still untouched broccoli.

I squint my eyes and run my fingers through my hair, 'I knew we should have sent the girls to different schools, it's like me and Nathan all over again,' I let out a long sigh, "Who told you Sawyer wasn't your sister honey?"

Phoebe looks down at her plate and pouts, "No one daddy honest… but-" She hesitates and bites her lip, a few seconds later she huffs at her broccoli - she detested broccoli, but in this house when I made broccoli Phoebe had to eat it. She sighs and bites her lip again; 'this must be serious' I think to myself, 'she hasn't been this agitated since we told her the storks were bringing her a little brother… not a sister.' "But Auntie Peyton is Yaya's mommy, why isn't my mommy her mommy too?"

I groan, 'I don't remember this happening this early with Sawyer,' and call out for my betrothed, "Brooke, sweetheart can you come here for a minute. We need your help with something."

Brooke comes out of the guest bedroom with straight pins squeezed between her lips. She goes to speak and furrows her brow before she brings her arm to mouth and sticks the stray pins in the pincushion cuff adorning her wrist, "Yes Luke, as you can see I'm kind of in the middle of something." I look down and it appears as though she's holding a giant shower sponge.

As if we are sharing the same brain she glares in my direction, "It's Sawyer's tutu for the party on Saturday. She asked for a voluminous rainbow tutu with sequins at the hem." She puts the tulle ball on the wing-back chair in the den and heads to the kitchen, "What's wrong?"

"Go ahead pretty girl," I observe the gloomy twinge to Phoebe's normally bright blue eyes, 'great, she thinks she's in trouble.' I tell myself.

Phoebe looks to me, then her mother and scurries up onto Brooke's lap and buries her head in Brooke's chest, "Why aren't you Yaya's mommy too?"

Brooke's eyes widen and I know what she's feeling, 'it's too soon,' "Well honey-"

"Daddy used to love Auntie Peyton the same way he loves mommy," I pull up a chair next to two of the most special ladies in my life and rub Phoebe's back.

Brooke narrows her eyes and takes over, "What daddy is trying to say is he used to love Auntie Peyton and they had a baby together, just like mommy and daddy have you and Milo."

I continued, "So Yaya is your sister because you both have the same daddy and I want you to know that you are special." We collectively made the decision when Brooke and I found out we were having a child of our own that we would never label Sawyer a 'half-sister' she is my daughter and I love her more than words can express, first and foremost our children were going to know they were siblings no matter what.

"How come," Phoebe looks up at Brooke and avoids my field of vision.

"You are unique because you have mommy, daddy and Milo in this house." Phoebe nods her head, "And you have Sawyer and Jenny at Uncle Jakey and Auntie Peyton's house. I bet you're the only girl in first grade with a fun family like yours."

"Can Yaya come and live with us?" Phoebe smiles as she bounces on Brooke's lap.

Brooke squeezes my hand, 'crisis averted' I tell myself before I begin to think of the first time Peyton and I discussed a custody arrangement that suited our needs.

 _I look down at the red faced newborn and choke on happy tears, "Welcome to the world Sawyer Penelope Scott, I'm your dad and I love you so much." I lift my head when I feel someone watching me, "She's perfect Peyt, you did an amazing job. Thank you for letting me be here for the birth, all things considering." It has been a rough month and a half, there have been a lot of fights, countless tears and an ultimatum but I feel like here in this moment we have survived the toughest part of the storm and the waters ahead are calm. It's probably just the endorphin's of new fatherhood but I could hope for the best right?_

 _Peyton sat up in the hospital bed and knotted her hair on the top of her head, "So I was thinking that for the first six months while I'm nursing we could continue to co-habitat. I meant what I said before Luke, I don't want some court ordered custody agreement, we have been friends for ten years I am positive we can figure it out."_

 _I let out a sigh of relief, "I think that's a great idea." I stand up and bring Sawyer to her mother. I give Peyton a quick kiss on the cheek, "I am thinking about sneaking out for something other than hospital food, what do you say?"_

" _That sounds great, thank you Luke." Peyton leaned back into the hospital bed and closed her eyes before I even left the room._

"Daddy," Phoebe says as I drift back into the conversation. "Do you still love Auntie Peyton?"

"I will always love Auntie Peyton pretty girl. We loved each other very much at one point in our lives and that alright, because of that love we have Yaya and I cannot imagine my life without her can you?"

"Nope," Phoebe replies before finally plopping a piece of broccoli in her mouth, "If I didn't have Yaya, I would only have Milo," She shivers and swallows her food before reaching for a second piece, "And brother's are more yucky than a plate full of broccoli."

* * *

I pull into the parking lot of the party school and see Peyton waiting for me outside. I wave before parking the car and heading to her, "Have you been waiting long?"

She leans in and kisses my cheek, "No, I just got here."

"Great," I put my arm around her shoulder and we head through the automatic sliding doors, "So I thought all of the party stuff was purchased already?"

Peyton pulls out her phone to look over her list, "I need to buy a new pinata, Jake left the other outside on the deck and Royal and Ruby ate it."

I let out a barrel laugh, "Those dogs are terrorists Peyt, when are you guys going to take them to a trainer?"

She pinches my arm, "Jake thinks him and Jenny can handle them, I keep trying to remind him that she is thirteen now and doesn't give a damn about the dogs, but he wants to try one more time."

"So did Brooke tell you about our conversation with Phoebe, I could have sworn Sawyer was older when she asked the two mommy question." We stroll down to the pinata aisle and I reach up and bring down a new unicorn pinata.

Peyton's fate twists into a pensive expression, "Brooke told me you both handled it like champions, two children down only one more to go." When we passed by an empty abandoned shopping cart Peyton grabbed it and I placed the pinata in the back, "We just need to stop at the front, I need to reserve the helium tanks and pick up the banner for the house."

I hang back by the candles while Peyton goes up front, I pick out a flowering lotus candle that sings _happy birthday_ and an _8 is great_ cake stake to put in the over-sized cupcakes, "Let's add these too," I say as I jog to the register, "I got it Peyton." I hand the checker my credit card, I pick up all the bags and the unicorn shaped pinata with rainbow hair, "Did Brooke tell you Phoebe asked if Sawyer could move in with us?"

"I saw that firework thing you purchased, that is not going anywhere near Sawyer's cake." Peyton arches an eyebrow in my direction and opens the trunk.

"What's wrong with it?" I wonder, "It isn't a firework, it says right on the box blooming lotus candle, it looks really cool."

She gives me a coy grin, "Ummmm I don't think so." She closes the trunk, "So what did you and Brooke tell her about why Sawyer doesn't live with you guys?"

"The truth naturally." I smirk, "We told her that if she wanted to continue to have sleepovers they had to live in separate houses." The actual truth was, Jake, Peyton, Brooke and I decided long ago that it would be in the girls' best interest to have consistency so Sawyer would always live with Jake and Peyton. In the beginning it was an adjustment, but the anxiety she seemed to get for days after being at my house for the weekend wasn't worth my selfish desire to have her at my place. We only lived two streets away from each other and I could see her anytime I wanted to so it wasn't a problem.

"Sounds like the most logical explanation to give a six year old, I commend you." Peyton laughs as she sarcastically bows before me.

"Ha ha ha," I glare, "So we will be at your house at 10:30 Saturday?"

Peyton nods, "Yep, can you believe Sawyer is going to be eight? Where did the time go?"

"Honestly, I don't know. It was like I blinked and she was eight." I lean in and give Peyton a quick hug, "I need to go relieve Brooke, she has a conference call with Bloomingdale's soon. See you Saturday."

* * *

I let myself into the house and announce my presence, "Olly olly oxen free," I bellow down the hallway.

Phoebe and Milo come running towards me, well Phoebe runs, Milo at nearly three mostly waddles. I look up and there she is the original _pretty girl_ who owns my heart. "What time is your call?"

"Already taken care of, I was able to talk to the buyers while Phoebe was at school and Milo was down for his nap." Brooke tilts towards me and kisses my lips passionately.

'Oh, how I miss the days before we had children?' I tell myself, 'back when life was simple; movies, dinners and nights of endless love making.' I clear my throat and hope it clears my head, "So you're mine for the entire afternoon?"

"It would appear so," She smiles and reaches for my hand, "I was thinking we put on a movie in the den, pop some popcorn and cuddle up," She flashes her signature dimpled smile, "Did you buy a new…" she looks around to see where the kids are, "unicorn? Peyton sent me pictures, it looked like the sad unicorn murder scene in that one _Harry Potter_ movie."

I chuckle at the ridiculous face she's now making and kiss her neck, "So what movie are we watching?"

" _Wreck-It Ralph_ , it was Milo's pick this week." I can't help but stare at her assets as she practically glides to the den.

"Here daddy," Phoebe tugs at the hem of my shirt to grab my attention, "I painted this in school today."

I look down at the poster board of finger painted stick figures and the questions about Sawyer now make sense, the painting is titled _My Family_. Phoebe is in the middle and she is surrounded by her family, there's a figure for Sawyer, Jenny and Milo. Next to them is her parents and I choke up a little because Brooke and I aren't the only one's represented, she has also taken the liberty of including Peyton and Jake. There is so much love in her heart I beam at the painting which also incorporated Nathan, Haley, Jamie, Lydia, Lilly and her grandparents; my mother, Andy, Deb, Victoria and Jake's parents. "It's beautiful honey, this has to go on the refrigerator for sure."

A few minutes later we are all cuddled on the couch together in the den and I hear the familiar sound of _Wreck-It Ralph_ and I smile; 'Hi, my name's Ralph and I'm a bad guy. Let's see, I'm nine feet tall, I weigh six hundred and forty-three pounds. Got a bit of temper on me. My passion bubbles very near the surface, I guess, not gonna lie. Anyhoo, what else? Uh… I'm a wrecker. I wreck things…' I have loved this movie since the first time we watched it with Sawyer and Jenny at the drive-in. I have always had a soft spot for Ralph, here he was a flawed character who was programmed to be the bad guy and he was powerless against it. If I was being honest with myself he reminded me of a bad guy in my own life… My father Dan Scott.

 _Brooke and I were sitting on a blanket at the park with Sawyer, Jenny and our newest addition Phoebe. "She's beautiful, I think she favors your mother." I tense instantly at the syrupy voice of Dan Scott coming from behind me._

 _I stand up, "Brooke go get the girls and meet me at the car please."_

 _Brooke gives me a concerned look and turns to the park, "Don't be long alright, it will scare the girls." She kisses my cheek and calls out, "Jenny, Sawyer come on we're going to go get some lunch - let's go."_

" _I've tried to see your brother, I was given a new heart and it has forced me to take stock of my life. I would like the opportunity to know you and your children." Dan flashes the phony car salesman smile he is practically famous for._

 _I fold up the blanket and retrieve Phoebe's stroller, "I would rather eat glass than allow you access to my children. I'm glad you got a new heart Dan and you think you're a changed man but to me you're always going to be one thing, a murderer. Now if you'll excuse me."_

" _You know I always figured one of you would turn out like me," he crosses in front of me and stops, "If I were a betting man my money would have been on Nathan. I never thought his marriage to Haley would last, but here they are ten years and two children later - how many months apart are Sawyer and Phoebe?"_

 _I feel my blood boiling in my veins and I want nothing more than to punch his lights out, "I am not going to tell you again Dan, stay away from my children."_

I wake up when I feel Brooke squeeze my hand, "I know we've seen this movie hundreds of times but I thought for sure you would stay awake, it's one of your favorites."

I stretch as a yawn escapes my lips, "I was thinking about Dan."

"There's a shocker," Brooke stifles a giggle, "personally I think he's more like King Candy."

I watch Milo begin to fidget at our voices, he has been a quirky child since birth. His head is covered with kinky tufts of curly blond hair, his eyes are large and green in color, which surprised both me and his mother. He is the kid of many faces and he was particular about every aspect of his existence, my mother swears I was this way as a child and he will grow out of it, but when he sits on the floor and lets out a blood curdling scream for no apparent reason I want to bang my head against the wall. "Milo. Mi-lo. Miii-loooo." Brooke covers her face with a pillow, but it doesn't stop her from laughing.

Milo stands up and pauses the blu-ray player and turns towards us and gives us a death stare, "Shhhh! My movie!"

Brooke and I tense up and stop carrying on for a moment before the laughter takes old of us again and Milo folds his arms across his chest and begins to pout. "That's it mister, you better turn that frown upside down."

"No," Milo huffs.

I fall to the floor and pull him close, "Fine, you leave me no choice, tickle attack!"

Milo holds his breath to keep himself from laughing but that only lasts so long before the laughter takes a hold of him, "Daddy stop it."

Soon enough Brooke and Phoebe join in and we're all rolling around on the floor tickling each other and laughing when the doorbell rings and Phoebe wiggles loose, "Stop it, Yaya is here!" She jumps up and down, "Come on daddy, come on. Yaya and Jenny are here for dinner!"

I jog over to the door, "Hey Peyt, Jen-Jen, cutie pie." I pinch Sawyer's nose as she hugs me around the waist.

"Hi daddy." Sawyer smiles up at me and I notice she has one less tooth then she did a few days ago. 'DNA is an interesting thing' I say to myself, Sawyer was the perfect amalgamation of me and Peyton, her hair is dirty blonde and stick straight. She has a genetic eye condition, heterochromia iridum, that affects about 10% of the world's population. In layman's terms one eye is green; like her mother and the other is blue like mine.

"You have something you want to tell me?" I say, tapping my teeth.

"I lost another tooth," she shrugs, "No big deal."

Before I can respond Phoebe comes running in squealing from the back of the house, "Yaya! Yaya!" She runs into Sawyer's arms and giggles, "I missed you so much, did you miss me?"

"Of course I did kiddo." Sawyer reaches into her bag and hands Phoebe lollipop, "Don't tell daddy."

"My mommy made sloppy joes come on, come on, come on." Phoebe pulls Sawyer to the kitchen, I watch as they stop for a second and she hands Milo a fruit roll up, "Shhh, don't tell daddy."

* * *

So when I first started writing the follow-up to this story I imagined it going a different direction entirely but something happened in my life that made me rethink a few things. In October of last year my biological father passed away, we weren't exactly close so I feel like it took a long time to sink in. Then something amazing happened, his daughter (my half-sister) contacted me after nearly a decade of being estranged, so now we have reconnected and I couldn't be happier. :)

I wanted this chapter to be about Lucas and his children and how they live in their version of normal. I have one more chapter planned out, I'll be working on it soon. :)

Hit review and tell me what you thought of it. Thanks!

Krystal


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